Document fastener



May"4, 1965 DOCUMENT FASTENER Filed March 19, 1963 C. H. WAGNER ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS 0/4246: 0 wfievae y 1965 c. H. WAGNER ETAL 3,181,218

DOCUMENT FASTENER Filed March 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 017626655 4 WnaMs-e lit-69780 lr/zzaleew United States Patent 3,181,213 DGQUMENT FASTENER Charles H. Wagner, 72 Central Ave, Plymouth Apta,

Dayton, Ohio, and Richard .I. Killoren, 169 Locust Drive, Fairborn, @hio Filed Mar. 119, 1963, Ser. No. 266,461 1 Claim. (Cl. 24--1S3) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a device for securin a plurality of documents together.

One object of the invention is to provide a fastener which is easier to produce and which requires less material than prior art fasteners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener which is less likely to tear the paper than prior art devices.

These and other objects will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of one form of the fastenor, dotted lines showing the prong members bent upwardly for insertion in the conventional punch holes in the documents or papers to be secured together.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional View on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fastener in secured position, after being inserted through the punch holes in a plurality of papers or documents.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment, before folding.

FIG. 5 is a perspective View showing the prongs of the fastener shown in FIG. 4 secured together.

FIG. 6 is a further modification.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective of a further modification.

The paper fasteners of the prior art are metal and are punched with a die. These provide sharp cutting edges on the prong members so that it is diflicult to retain the papers in a file since these sharp edges tend to cut or tear the papers. These fasteners also comprise two pieces wherein the first piece has two arms or prongs insertable through punched holes in the paper to be secured. The two arms are then passed through two holes in the second plate member which carries two slidable prong retainer clips. The arms are folded toward each other across the plate and are secured together by the clips.

According to this invention a plastic or similar material is coated on the arms at the position where they pass through the papers to be secured so as to dull the cutting edge to prevent cutting of the papers. The material used should be pliable such as, for example, a soft plastic. In one device built a commercially available clear fingernail polish was used and found to be satisfactory.

When a coating is used, it is not convenient or desirable to use the second plate member so that other means must be provided to secure the paper fastener.

According to this invention, a clip member is located on one of the arms and may be retained thereon by various means. It is obvious that the coating may act as a stop in some cases. If these devices are to be used in the same size holes as previously used, the arm members must be made narrower to permit the clip to pass through the hole. However, it is obvious that the device would have to be constructed of an appropriate size as determined by the use for which it is intended;

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, which shows a fastener 10 having a base member 11 and two arms or prongs 12 and 13 extending from opposite ends of the base member: Each of the arms has a coating, shown at 14 and 15, of a pliable cellulosic-plastic material at the base thereof. The coating may extend a short distance over the base member as shown, if desired.

Que of the arms has a clip member 16 slidable thereon. The opening in the clip member should be equal to at least two thicknesses of the arm members so that the other arm member may be inserted therein. The clip is retained on the arm member by means of a stop 13. The travel of the clip in the direction away from stop 18 is limited by coating 14.

In the operation of the device, the arms 12 and 13 are inserted in precut holes 2dr; and 20b in the papers 19 to be secured as shown in FIGURE 3. The coatings I4 and 15 act to dull the cutting edges of the fastener. After the arms are inserted into the paper and the base member 11 comes into contact with the paper, the arms 12 and 113 are bent over into engagement with the top sheet, with the arm 13 over arm 12 as shown in FIG- URE 3. The clip 16 is then moved over arm 13 to thereby secure the fastener.

Stop means for the clip other than that shown in FIGURE 1 may be provided. For example, FIGURE 4 shows the arm 12b cut away to provide projections 21 and 22. FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. 4 with the prongs shown in their engaged position.

Also tabs 25 and 26 may be provided on arms 120. These tabs may be bent over to provide stops as shown in FIGURE 6. In certain cases, a slidable clip, such as 16, may not be needed. In this case, a fixed clip may be provided in the manner shown at 16d in FIGURE 7.

There is thus provided a device for securing a plurality of documents together.

While certain specific embodiments have been described in detail, it is obvious that numerous changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention.

We claim:

In combination with a two-pronged stamped out metallic paper fastener having a substantially flat elongated base plate and two narrow substantially flat prong members extending outwardly in diametrically opposite directions from opposite ends of said base plate and bendable substantially at the junction with the base plate to extend in parallel relation to each other, normal to said base plate, and having thin raw stamped edges on said prongs likely to cut or tear paper when inserted therethrough, a protective coating on each of said prongs adjacent said base plate, said coating completely surrounding said prongs and covering said thin raw edges to prevent their cutting papers held by the fastener when inserted through said papers, and means for retaining said prongs in juxtaposed relation whereby papers may be secured thereby.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,477,966 12/23 Lindstrom 24-153 2,333,016 10/43 Lawson 24-153 2,345,484 3/44 Krumwiede 24153 3,074,133 1/63 Jones 24153X FOREIGN PATENTS 489,705 10/ 18 France. 1,271,354 7/61 France.

(Corresponding Great Britain 957,613) OTHER REFERENCES German printed application 1,095,784, 12/60.

.DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

